Central Alabama Action Commission Kick-Off Set for August 9 in Montevallo

The kickoff of the Central Alabama Action Commission is set for 10:00am on Thursday, August 9th in Montevallo.  The meeting is open to the public and will take place at the Stewart Student Retreat Center on the campus of the University of Montevallo.  This is part of Governor Bob Riley’s new statewide initiative aimed at improving the quality of life throughout our state.  The Central Alabama Action Commission includes Blount, Chilton, Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair, and Walker Counties. 

Governor Riley said “I am excited about our efforts to expand the action commission model statewide.”  We have an exceptional leadership team in Central Alabama that is working hard to involve local citizens and to build the partnerships needed to improve the quality of life for citizens in this part of our state.”

Charles Ball, Executive Director of the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham and Deputy Co-Chair of the Central Alabama Action Commission, said “I feel very fortunate and humbled to play even a small part in turning our rural communities around.  This is a a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I look forward to getting started.”

The Alabama Rural Action Commission was created by Governor Bob Riley in May based upon the successful model he established with the Black Belt Action Commission (BBAC) in 2004. The Black Belt Action Commission has over 800 volunteers who have worked with local and state officials to expand economic growth, improve access to health care and boost education in the region.  Members of the BBAC helped recruit new and expanding industries, bring free computers to school systems, and offer free health care fairs and comprehensive eye care in the Black Belt.

State Representative Cam Ward, who serves as Regional Co-Chair of the Central Alabama Action Commission, said "I think it is exciting to see so many talented people coming together to address the critical needs in our area. This is a wonderful opportunity for any citizen to get involved and to make a difference in their community.”

“It is an honor to be a part of Governor Riley’s initiative to improve the lives of all Alabamians,” said Paul Glass, a founding member of Southern Insights and a Regional Co-Chair of the Central Alabama Action Commission. “Governor Riley’s BBAC has proven that if you bring forth a vision for positive change and share it with others, the resources and people to help implement dynamic change will manifest. We look forward to meeting the Governor’s challenge of bringing measurable results from our efforts.”

The Alabama Rural Action Commission is comprised of 8 regional “Action Commissions” encompassing all 67 Alabama counties. The Central Alabama Action Commission is the second action commission to begin its work. The North Alabama Action Commission held its kickoff event on July 24.  The West Alabama Action Commission is holding its kickoff on August 9 at 2:00pm at Mercedes. The other five commissions are currently planning their kickoff events.

Former State Senator Gerald Dial serves as the Executive Director of Alabama Rural Action Commission.  In phase one, the ARAC is focusing on Economic Development, Workforce Development, Health and Education. The ARAC plan leaves autonomy with the regional leadership to create further committees as deemed necessary to focus on local issues.